Celebrating the Diamond Jubilee with Doncaster Butterscotch Cake

There’s something festive going on this week. Every shop is decked out with bunting for the Diamond Jubilee of HR Queen Elizabeth II. In my home town of Doncaster, visitors will enjoy a special treat based on the famous Doncaster Royal Butterscotch. Together with Doncaster Tourist and Information Office and the support of Sainsburys & Taylors of Harrogate, students from Doncaster College will be baking and serving up Butterscotch desserts, including Grandma Abson's recipe for Butterscotch and Orange Cake.  

Doncaster Butterscotch & Orange Cake

5 oz (175g) butter

5 oz (175g) soft brown sugar

3 eggs

5 oz (175g) self raising flour (sieved)

Pinch of salt

Grated rind of 1 large orange

Strained juice of ½ orange 

Preheat the oven to 180°C, Mark 4, 350F. Line the bases of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with non-stick baking paper. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs and add a little at a time, adding a dessertspoonful of flour with each egg. Fold in the remaining flour, the orange rind and the orange juice. Divide the mixture between the 2 cake tins and bake for about 25 minutes until they start to shrink from the sides and a skewer inserted into the centre comes away clean. Place on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto the rack and leave until cool.

Filling and topping

3 oz (75g) butter

3 oz (75g) demerara sugar

2 oz (50g) flour (or cornflour)

4 fl oz (100ml) milk

Butterscotch chips

Icing sugar

“Melt the butter and sugar in a pan (preferably non stick) and stir over a low heat for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the flour a little at a time, adding the milk alternately. Stir well, using a (non stick) whisk. Allow to cool slightly. Smear the top of the cake very lightly with a small amount of the filling. Cover the other cake with the filling. Then place the first cake on the top. Sprinkle the butterscotch chips over the top. (They should stick to the cake). Finally, dust the top with icing sugar.”

Grandma’s 3 tips for a perfect sponge cake :

1. Have all the ingredients at room temperature before mixing.

2. Make sure the butter is soft before adding the sugar.

3. The mixture should be a ‘dropping’ consistency so it falls off the spoon.

What is Butterscotch?

Originally used as a treatment for invalids, Butterscotch is made from butter and brown sugar. It’s similar to toffee but is cooked to a ‘soft’ crack rather than a ‘hard’ crack’ and has become very popular in America for cake fillings.  The original Royal Doncaster Butterscotch was by appointment to the Royal Household so provides a fitting local tribute to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. 

How are you celebrating the Diamond Jubilee? Have you got a celebration recipe?